Typical residential barrier operators used to move an access barrier between opened and closed positions are configured only to be responsive to a “change barrier state” command that is sent from a compatible wireless transmitter. The change barrier state command transmitted from a wireless transmitter instructs the barrier operator to open a closed barrier, close an opened barrier, or to stop a moving barrier. The control logic maintained by the barrier operator typically is based on what is referred to in the industry as “four-phase logic.” Four-phase logic characterizes the movements made by the access barrier during an open/close cycle by the sequence of “open-stop-close-stop” and so on. This sequence is configured as a loop that returns back to the open state once the second stop state has been completed. Thus, each time the change barrier state command is transmitted by the wireless transmitter and received by the barrier operator, the barrier operator proceeds to the next state in the four-phase logic sequence. By incorporating such logic, however, the system prevents wireless transmitters from commanding the barrier operator to move the access barrier in a specific direction, such as up or down, on demand. Alternatively, in commercial or industrial settings barrier, operators that are controlled by wired transmitters utilize discrete open, close, and stop commands that instruct the barrier operator to take a specific action so as to open, close, or stop the access barrier. That is, a wired transmitter may command that the access barrier move in a specific direction on demand.
Wired transmitters used to operate the barrier operator are typically integrated into the logic circuitry of the barrier operator so as to form an operational transmitter/barrier operator pair, such that the wired transmitter is only capable of controlling a single barrier operator to which it is wired. Currently however, it is a common for residential homes to provide garages that utilize multiple garage doors. In order to actuate multiple access barriers, such as garage doors, multiple wired transmitters, each associated with an individual barrier operator, are required to control the movement of the access barriers individually. For example, in the case of a multiple garage door installation, each garage door to be opened, closed, or stopped must be specifically associated with a designated wired transmitter. Thus, the user is required to individually actuate each wired transmitter in order to open, close, or stop all of the doors. Such an arrangement requires each of the wired transmitters to be individually wired with the associated access barrier. Such an arrangement is inconvenient to the user, in as much as he or she is required to physically actuate a dedicated button on each wired transmitter in order to actuate each access barrier, which in some installations may be separated by significant distances from each other. Furthermore, in areas where the weather is often inclement, it is inconvenient for a user to physically go outside, and actuate each wired transmitter especially in the case where the garage is detached from the home and separated by a significant distance.
Therefore, there is a need for a multiple barrier control system that enables one or more local wireless transmitters to simultaneously invoke a function maintained by a plurality of barrier operators. Further, there is a need for a multiple barrier control system that enables one or more local wireless transmitters to simultaneously open, close, and stop a plurality of barrier operators. Additionally, there is a need for a multiple barrier control system that enables various network devices associated with a communication network to simultaneously invoke a function maintained by a plurality of barrier operators. Moreover, there is a need for a multiple barrier control system that utilizes a barrier operator that utilizes a multiple frequency transceiver to facilitate communication between a plurality of barrier operators, various local transmitters, and various network devices associated with the communication network. And there is a need for a multiple barrier operator control system that provides a network bridge device that enables the communication network to communicate with a plurality of barrier operators. There is also a need for a multiple barrier control system that provides a portable network control or computer that provides a graphical user interface (GUI) to display the operational status of each of the plurality of access barriers. And, there is a need for a multiple barrier control system that displays a graphical user interface (GUI) that provides a user with the option of opening all of the access barriers, closing all of the access barriers, or stopping the movement of all of the access barriers simultaneously. Furthermore, there is a need for a multiple barrier control system that provides one or more scene functions that may be invoked by various local transmitters and various network devices so as to control the operation of multiple appliances associated with a communication network with a single button.